abortion debate. as the polls in the presidential race tighten mitt romney says if elected he would not pursue any abortion related legislation. >> inside the attack. lawmakers press for answers about the deadly attack on the u.s. consulate in benghazi, cbs news goes inside the compound where the assault took place. man versus mountain. an extreme bike stunt goes bad. this is the "cbs morning news" for wednesday, october 10, 2012. good morning. good to be with you. i'm terrell brown. this morning the race for the white house veered from a focus on the economy to an emotionally charged debate on social issues. in an interview yesterday with "the des moines register" mitt romney said he would not pursue abortion related legislation if elected president.

>> there's no legislation with regards to abortion that i'm familiar with that would become part of my agenda. >> after the interview romney campaign said governor romney is pro life and would support legislation aimed at providing greater protections for life. romney has repeatedly said the supreme court should overturn roe v. wade. the ruling that legalized abortion nationwide. and that he would cut funding to planned parenthood, an organization that provides abortion. the obama campaign says we know about the truth on where romney stan on a women's right to choose. women can't trust him. meanwhile polls indicate romney is gaining ground in a key battleground state, that state is ohio. he intensified his campaign efforts there. tara mergener has more. >> reporter: good morning. with 18 electoral votes ohio is key to mitt romney's path to the white house and according to the latest numbers he's making progress. mitt romney and his supporters

have a new message for president obama. >> you got the idea. >> reporter: romney has three more campaign stops in ohio today, for a very good reason. no republican has won the presidency without carrying ohio. >> i want you to go out there and find someone who voted for barack obama and come get them to join our team. >> reporter: romney's ohio poll voters are surging. more voters are connecting. >> this country is a country of equal opportunity. i think everybody has an equal chance to succeed and i think romney is for that. >> reporter: president obama is back in washington today but no shortage of election staff in ohio. the obama campaign has 120 field offices across the pivotal state. >> hello buckeyes. >> in columbus, the president reminded voters which candidate supported the auto industry bailout. >> we reinvented a dying auto industry that supports one in

eight ohio jobs and has come roaring back to the top of the world. >> reporter: ohio senior citizen bill believes the president has earned another four years in the white house. >> he has got my vote because four years ago the country was in bad shape. he's done everything he could. >> reporter: romney is spending four of the next five days in ohio. the president is certain to be back during the final weeks of this very tight race. the latest cnn poll shows president obama still ahead in ohio by just four points. if romney loses there he'll likely have to winn every other battleground state except new hampshire. >> tara mergener starting us off. thank you. the creators of sesame street want president obama to leave big bird out of the campaign. the obama campaign unveiled an ad featuring big bird. to cut funding to public broadcasting. the ad suggests romney would be

tougher on sesame street than wall street. >> in iowa yesterday romney surprised his views on the attack in benghazi. at a christmas party years ago romney met a former navy s.e.a.l. glenn dougherty who was killed in benghazi. >> it touched me as i recognized this young man that i thought was so impressive had lost his life in the service of his fellow men and women. >> romney has used the attack on the u.s. consulate to criticize president obama's foreign policy. today congress opened a hearing into the benghazi attack as the state department offered its most detailed description of what happened. one state department official said it was never concluded protest over an anti-islam video triggered the attack which contrasts with earlier accounts. today's hearing is to focus on security issues at the consulate including efforts to rescue chris stevens from a safe-haven inside the building.

elizabeth palmer in libya filed this report from inside the benghazi consulate. >> reporter: the u.s. compound in benghazi now sits empty and abandoned. if the men who attacked these buildings on september 11th used heavy weapons there's few signs. over every window there's evidence of the billowing smoke that killed four americans. inside post-it notes cling to the blackened wall left behind by fbi investigators who finally made it to this crime seen for a single day last week. cell phone video from the night of the attack shows the fire burning as looters swarmed over the compound. now a blanket of soot covers the ruins but investigators will be looking closely for evidence to show who set the blaze. this heavy sealed security gate seals the sleeping quarters behind me off from the rest of the consulate building. it's double locked from the inside. probably by the people who took refuge in here that night. among them ambassador chris

stevens. the space includes the ambassador's own bedroom. it was set up to be a secure retreat from attacks. note the barred windows all around. that night it turned into a trap. government sources say stevens personal security guard managed to climb out a window, perhaps this one where the bars were removed. the question is why stevens left behind in the dark and the smoke didn't follow. his body was pulled from that same window by a crowd hours later. the september 11th attack wasn't the first on the u.s. consulate. it had been bombed in june. on september the 8th, a commander of one of benghazi's most powerful militias met with three americans, one from the u.s. embassy to warn them about deteriorating security. >> translator: benghazi is not safe. >> you told that to the americans.

>> translator: yeah. >> reporter: the brigade commander added that he didn't think his advice or warnings were really taken to heart by americans. but that meeting had been called to discuss the possibility of americans' private investment returning to benghazi but the subject was even under discussion considering the circumstances is remarkable. >> the taliban said it is responsible for the attack on a 14-year-old pakistani girl who spoke out against the militant. she's in critical condition this morning after doctors worked through the night to save her life. a gunman shot her yesterday on a school bus. she was wounded in the head and neck. this morning doctors removed the bullet near her. spinal cord and said her condition is improving. she is still unconscious. she began writing a blog when she was 11 about life under taliban rule and calling for girls education. the attack was criticized by the pakistani government and u.s. state department. >> directing violence at

children is barbaric, cowardly and our hearts go out to her and the others who were wounded as well as fair family. >> the taliban called her receivism a new chapter and said we have to finish the chapter. >> the supreme court begins rethinking affirmative action. they will hear argument whether colleges can use race when considering admissions. abigail fisher, a white woman said she was denied admission to the university of texas because of race. nine years ago the court ruled schools can use race to diversify their student body. >> the judge in the trial of jerry sandusky says he expect the 68-year-old to die in prison. sandusky was sentenced 30 to 60 years behind bars for sexually abusing 10 boys. some of his victims were in court. sandusky maintains his innocence throughout. the scandal rocked the school and caused long time football coach joe paterno his job. >> watching and waiting as the meningitis outbreak spread to

another state. patients who received contaminated drugs with the infection are being told to keep an eye out for symptoms. this is the morning news. morning news. wahlalalalallala! there's a kick to. smooth, but crisp. it's kind of like drinking a food that's a drink, or a drink that's a food, woooooh! [ male announcer ] taste it and describe the indescribable. could've had a v8. [ male announcer ] taste it and describe the indescribable. online outfit piccolo headphones buy now broadway show megapixels place to sleep little roadster war and peace deep sea diving ninja app hipster glasses 5% cash back sign up to get 5% everywhere online through december. only from discover. i don't have time for the flu. that's why i'm knocking things off my to-do list. vitamin d, done! hand sanitizer, done! hey, eric! i'm here for my flu shot. sorry, didn't make an appointment. well, you don't need one.

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something else to think about this morning. a warning for car owners who had their airbags replaced in the last three years. the government will announce they can be counterfeit and fail to inflate properly. it could affect tens of thousands of car owners. car owners are asked to check a government website safercar.gov. or with your local dealer to see if your vehicle could have a counterfeit airbag. the meningitis outbreak has claimed more lives. some lawmakers are calling for stricter federal oversight to make sure this doesn't happen again. teresa garcia tells us a death in florida has been linked to a tainted steroid injection. >> reporter: george kerry and his family are in mourning and in fear. >> we're trying to keep ourselves together and focus

right now on healing ourselves. >> reporter: his wife died last week of a stroke. she was diagnosed with fungal meningitis after receiving an injection of a tainted steroid. george received similar injections and is awaiting test results to see if he's also infected. >> i think that right now the grief and disbelief that something like this could happen is still there. >> reporter: on tuesday new jersey became the 10th state to report an infection. 119 cases have been confirmed by the centers for disease control, 11 of them fatal. ron barb from tennessee is awaiting test results. he received two injections for back pain last month. >> symptoms started this morning with a slight stiff neck and headache. >> reporter: officials in tennessee said they identified a second fungus, a fungus most doctors would not see. cdc says 13,000 people received

the potentially contaminated drug. those patients are being told to watch for symptoms for three months. george kerry is watching and waiting and wondering why there isn't more oversight of the medical industry. >> perhaps the message is wake up, america. >> reporter: a warning that comes too late for his wife. teresa garcia, cbs news. >> take a quick break. up next on a wednesday morning your weather forecast and in sports a biker tries to go evel knievel over a canyon in utah. kneivel over a canyon in utah. ? it's eb. eggland's best eggs. better taste. better nutrition. better eggs. it's eb. i have a cold, and i took nyquil, but i'm still stubbed up. [ male announcer ] truth is, nyquil doesn't unstuff your nose. what? [ male announcer ] it doesn't have a decongestant.

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here's a look at the weather in some cities around the country. in new york mostly cloudy, 69. scattered thunderstorms in miami, 89. chicago, 50. dallas, 72. clouds in l.a., 71 degrees. let's check your national forecast. going to be dry across much of the country. a cold front will advance the northeast, great lakes and ohio valley. temperatures in some areas will be ten degrees below normal and few showers and thunderstorms will develop in the southwest. cbs moneywatch now. toyota issues its largest recall since 2010, and a peek at the luxury gifts in the neiman marcus catalog. ashley morrison has a peek this morning. >> reporter: concerns about corporate earnings sent overseas

markets down. tokyo's nikkei dropped 2% to a two month losing close while the hang seng lost a fraction. toyota says it's recalling 7 1/2 million vehicles worldwide including more than 2 million in north america. the carmaker says there is a problem with the power window switch on more than a dozen different models. no crashes or injuries have been reported related to the problem. earning season on wall street is under way with alcoa reporting its third quarter result. the aluminum maker beat analysts estimates but still recorded a $143 million loss. alcoa cited china's economic slow down as a reason for lowering its estimate for aluminum production for the rest the year. alcoa released its report after the market closed. the dow lost 110 points while the nasdaq was down 47. just in time for the holidays, walmart will begin testing a same day delivery service. customers in select cities who buy popular items online will have them at their door step that day. walmart is trying to compete

with amazon.com which is also testing same day delivery. speaking of the holidays, neiman marcus is out with its christmas catalog. this year's fantasy gift includes a walk on role in the musical "annie." that's $30,000. a $354,000 sports car that comes in red. and just for over a million bucks his and her diamond encrusted watches. and also a trip to paris. i know what you should get for us. >> you would pick the most expensive thing on the list. i want the car. i like big expensive cars. 75 more shopping days until christmas. >> i know. >> thank you so much. in sports this morning, moneyball came through. the a's got the win, when they needed against the detroit. coco crisp at the wall makes a leaping catch robbing detroit of a homer.

then a shot deep to center. puts oakland amp's up. detroit now 2-1 american league division series lead. it was do or die for the giants and the reds. bailey was mowing them down striking out ten in seven innings but in the 10th, a throw to first is late. run scored and then trying to avoid the squeak. the giants survive 2-1. cincinnati with a 2-1 lead in the national division series. during the red bull rampage in utah, an extreme mountain biker tries to jump the canyon. wipe out. yep. feet first into the dirt. had a camera on his helmet so you can see firsthand this crash landing. look again. i'm not laughing. really. remarkably he wasn't hurt that bad. limping away with just an injured knee and a whole lot of bad words.

speaking of daredevil, when we come back a super sonic jump will have to wait another day. a historic free fall falls victim to bad weather. ric free fall falls victim to bad weather. with no added sugar, just one glass equals two servings of fruit. very fruit-tritious. or, try ocean spray light 50, with just 50 calories, a full serving of fruit and no added sugar. with tasty flavors like cranberry-pomegranate and cranberry- concord grape, it's like a fruit stand in every bottle. just...you know... demonstrating how we blend the fruits. try all our tasty ocean spray 100% and light 50 juices. flavor, meet food. it's time for swanson flavor boost.

concentrated broth in easy to use packets. mix it into skillet dishes, for an instant dose of... hell-o! [ female announcer ] get recipes at flavorboost.com. a fire rips through througha strip mall in union city. hw many crews it took to get a handle on the flames and whs injured in the fight. plus: he'll keep his job. sn francisco's embattled sherif faces a late night vote. w's next for ross mirkarimi. and keeping the hope alive.y plays help carry the giantsd athletics. what its going to take for both teams to wn today. join us for cbs 5 eyewitness news this morning... beginn,

here's a look at the weather in some cities around the country. in washington cloudy 70 degrees. mostly sunny in atlanta 76. mostly sunny in st. louis 60 degrees. pleasant in denver 73 and sunshine in seattle, 66. a woman dying of leukemia says she was humiliated by tsa agents at an airport in washington. she was headed to hawaii last week making what she expects to be the last trip of her life. she even called ahead to tell the agents about her bags. but agents padded her down and made her lift her shirt, even pulling back some bandages.

>> when somebody wants to take a trip, especially what i call an end of life trip because you want to see your family and friends, then it becomes -- it's even more important than just taking a trip. >> the tsa issued a statement tuesday saying their agents followed proper procedures. in moscow members of a punk band appeal their sentences. the three women were in court today. they are serving a two year prison term for doing a protest in a cathedral. their conviction on hooliganism has been condemned in america and europe. if their appeal is overruled they will be sent to a prison colony outside of moscow. extreme sky diver's request to make a death defying 23 mile plunge has been delayed. felix baumgartner made it to the capsule on tuesday morning but high winds forced a postponement. i hope that's not a bad omen. felix baumgartner said he'll try again tomorrow if weather permits. i'm terrell brown, this is the

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ten years ago a small group of women in north carolina volunteered to repair a leaky roof on a house. since then their ranks have grown to include women from all backgrounds and beliefs. they are not letting their politics get in the way of their charity work. >> reporter: down this red dirt road, west of charlotte, we follow the sound of hammers and found a story about focusing on service and setting aside differences. >> how many republicans do we have here? okay. how many democrats do we have here? report this is m.adge jones' house. the roof leaked. since her husband died 2 1/2 years ago she had no money to fix it. she made one phone call. in a matter of days volunteers

showed up armed with a tool belt and enthusiasm. >> raise your hand if you had roofing experience before you started doing this work? one. >> reporter: they are known as the women roofers. they repair roofs for free for the past ten years. they have one rule. what's on the roof stays on the roof. they only rejected one volunteer. >> the only one we never invited back spent a whole afternoon hand me a hammer, sugar. so we never invited him back. >> reporter: the rutherford partnership organized the group and manages donations for supplies. >> we only have people that make less half of the median income. that's a family of two makes less than $20,000 a year. that's not a lot of money. >> we have lots of folks like that here? >> we have 135 people on the waiting list. >> reporter: rutherford county's unemployment rate is 14.2%.

fourth highest in north carolina. when factories closed jobs went overseas. most of these volunteers are professional women, a nurse, small business owner, retirees. >> if you all could talk to the two men who want to be our next president what would you want to ask them >> take a lesson from what we do because i work alongside with this group of women, some of the most conservative republicans, some of the most liberal democrats, and we're working together for a common good. why can't the two sides find the common ground to make a difference? >> reporter: this group made a difference for madge jones. >> how do you see these women? are they neighbors? >> they are my heroes. >> reporter: the philosophy here is pretty simple. take a problem and fix it. byron pits, cbs news, rutherford, north carolina. >> that's the way it should be. coming up after your local news

on cbs "this morning" the race for the white house narrows. a look at a new poll. we'll hear from a republican strategist who helped to run romney's campaign for governor. and rick perry tells about his fight for low cost college degree. that's the news for this wednesday. i appreciate you watching. i'm a terrell brown. take care everybody, have a great day. he news for this wednesday. i appreciate you watching. i'm a terrell brown. take care everybody, have a great day. ,,,,

>> your realtime captioner: linda marie macdonald good morning, everyone. it's wednesday, october 10, i'm frank mallicoat. >> i'm michelle griego. in the east bay a firefighters injured while battling a four- alarm fire early this morning at a strip mall in union city. let's take a look.